Wait Single Vineyard Grenache 2023

Old Vine Grenache from Blewitt Springs | Single Site | 3 Years of Bottle Age We've been waiting for Wait. Some wines need time. Not because they're difficult. Because there's more to discover. The 2023 Wait Single Site Grenache has now spent three years in bottle, and you can feel the difference. It's settling into itself. Uncoiling. Revealing the layers that were always there. Turned earth. Root vegetable. Dark cherry. Saline savouriness. Fine, persistent tannin. This is the most structural and savoury wine in our Grenache range. And it's a beautiful expression of what happens when an exceptional old site, extraordinary fruit and patient winemaking are allowed to speak for themselves. Why Wait? Aphelion began with Grenache. Our focus is Grenache. Our future is Grenache. And our Single Site Grenache project is about getting closer to the place where the wine begins. Because vineyards can be big. Really big. A single vineyard can contain different blocks, different varieties, different vine ages, different aspects and different expressions of the land. We wanted to go further. Beyond single vineyard. To single site. A singular block inside a vineyard. A specific place. A particular expression of Grenache. That's where Wait comes from. The Wait Site The fruit for Wait comes from the Top Bush block on the Wait family vineyard in the north-eastern corner of Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. This block was planted in the mid-1940s. It is dry grown, producing small berries with intense flavour and prominent tannin. Those old vines and the character of the site give Wait its distinctive personality: Structural. Savoury. Brooding. Long. It is Grenache with a darker, earthier side. From Remarkable Sites, Not Just Famous Names We work closely with our growers, who farm sustainably, organically and/or biodynamically to produce extraordinary fruit. Because for us, provenance isn't just a name on a label. It's the people who farm the vines. The decisions made in the vineyard. The age of the vines. The block itself. And the sense of place that ultimately finds its way into the glass. That's what we're trying to capture with our Single Site Grenaches. As only Grenache can do, they reveal the character of where they're grown. What You'll Actually Taste Deeply coloured with an intense purple hue. The aromatics are savoury rather than overtly fruity. Turned earth. Root vegetable. Dark cherry. They're subtle at first, but there's real depth underneath. Then the palate arrives. Firm. Savoury. With a slightly saline edge that carries right through the wine. The tannin is the most prominent feature of the three Single Site Grenaches. It comes in waves, carrying that savoury character across the palate with remarkable length. This is the longest palate of the three. And that structure is exactly why it works so beautifully with rich food — and why it will benefit from further time in the cellar. Three Years in Bottle. Now Beginning to Uncoil. We waited for Wait. The 2023 vintage was bottled in May 2024, and it has now had three years to settle into itself. Young Grenache can be exuberant. With time, the wine starts to reveal another side. Tannin becomes more integrated. Savoury characters gain depth. The different elements begin to knit together. That's where Wait is now. It's beginning to uncoil. Ready to drink, but with plenty more to reveal. Enjoy now, or follow its evolution through to 2034. 100% Grenache. 100% Whole Bunch. The fruit was hand-picked on 4 April 2023 and processed as a 100% whole-bunch ferment. After a slow, cool ferment, the fruit was pressed to large-format neutral French oak, where it remained on full lees until racking for bottling in May 2024. Why whole bunch? Because for a wine like Wait, structure and savoury character are part of the point. The whole bunch ferment contributes to the wine's distinctive shape and tannin, while the large-format neutral oak allows the site and fruit to remain at the centre of the story. At a Glance Variety: 100% Grenache Region: Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia Site: Top Bush Block, Wait Vineyard Vine Age: 81 years old bush vines Farming: Dry grown Winemaking: 100% whole bunch ferment Oak: Large-format neutral French oak ABV: 14.4% Closure: Cork Production: Just 210 six-packs Serve: 16–18°C Drink: Now through 2034 Unfiltered | Unfined | Vegan Made For You This wine was made for you if… You'd rather discover a site than a famous label. You want to know where your wine came from — right down to the block. You prefer savoury complexity to obvious fruit. Turned earth, briar, spice and structure make you lean in rather than reach for something sweeter. You appreciate old vines. You understand that vines planted in the mid-1940s have a story worth tasting. You're building a serious cellar. You'd rather buy fewer bottles with provenance than more bottles without it. You order the interesting bottle at the restaurant. Not necessarily the most famous. The one with a story. You believe some of the best wines are worth waiting for. Wait 2023 isn't trying to be everything to everyone. It's for people who notice. Critics Noticed Too 96 points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate 95 points — Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion 94 points — Huon Hooke, The Real Review 94 points — Gary Walsh, The Wine Front Huon Hooke called it: “Very attractive grenache.” And the other reviews reinforce what we love about this wine: its structure, savoury character, depth and sense of place. Goes With Food Sausage and thyme ragu. The richness of the dish is exactly what this wine's structure is made for. Goes With Cheese Crèmeux d'Argental and fruit crackers. The creamy texture of the cheese provides a beautiful counterpoint to Wait's savoury tannin. Goes With Music Beast of Burden — The Rolling Stones. Goes With Life Sharing a bottle with good friends. Or settling into a good book when you don't want the evening to end quite yet. How to Get the Best From Wait 2023 Don't rush it. Serve at 16–18°C. Open the bottle and give it time to breathe. Pour a glass. Come back to it after 15 minutes. Then 30. Notice how the wine changes. With three years of bottle age already behind it, Wait is beginning to reveal itself — but its structure means there's no need to finish the bottle in one sitting. It's a wine worth spending an evening with. Wait vs Confluence Not sure which Aphelion Grenache to choose? Wait Single Site 2023 Confluence 2025 Style Structural, savoury, brooding Complex, aromatic, vibrant Origin One specific site — the Top Bush Block A confluence of McLaren Vale vineyard sites Character Earth, root vegetable, dark cherry, saline savouriness Raspberry, cranberry, wild strawberry, olive and briar Best for Cellaring, rich food, contemplative drinking Entertaining, dinner parties and immediate enjoyment Choose it if... You love savoury, earthy, structured Grenache You want vibrant, layered, highly drinkable Grenache Or don't choose. Taste them side by side. That's the whole point of the Single Site project — to experience how different places can make Grenache speak differently. Why Buy Wait Single Site Grenache 2023? Because you want to explore McLaren Vale Grenache at site level. Because these vines were planted in the mid-1940s. Because the Top Bush block is dry grown and produces small berries with intense flavour and prominent tannin. Because you prefer savoury, earthy and structural Grenache. Because it's had three years in bottle to settle, integrate and begin uncoiling. Because it has received 96, 95, 94 and 94 point reviews. Because only 210 six-packs were produced. Because provenance matters to you. Because you believe remarkable old vines deserve to be protected and celebrated. Frequently Asked Questions What does “Single Site” mean? Single Site means we go beyond the idea of a single vineyard to identify a specific block within that vineyard. A vineyard can be very large, with multiple blocks planted to different varieties and managed in different ways. Our Wait Grenache comes from one singular block — the Top Bush block on the Wait family vineyard in Blewitt Springs. Why do you call it Single Site rather than Single Vineyard? Because we think “Single Site” tells the story more accurately. A vineyard can contain many different blocks, varieties and expressions of the land. We want to take you closer to the actual place the fruit comes from: one specific site within a vineyard. For Wait, that's the Top Bush block. Why does site matter so much for Grenache? We believe Grenache is particularly expressive of where it is grown. Working closely with growers who farm sustainably, organically and/or biodynamically allows us to source extraordinary fruit that carries a distinct sense of place from each site. How old are the Wait vines? The Top Bush block was planted in the mid-1940s. The vines are dry grown and produce small berries with intense flavour and prominent tannin. What does Wait Grenache 2023 taste like? Wait is the most structural and savoury wine in the Aphelion Grenache range. It has deeply coloured fruit, savoury aromatics of turned earth, root vegetable and dark cherry, with a firm, slightly saline palate and tannin that carries the wine across the palate with great length. What does three years of bottle age do to the wine? Time in bottle allows the tannin, fruit and savoury characters to integrate and develop greater complexity. The 2023 Wait is now beginning to settle into itself and uncoil, revealing more of the depth and detail within the wine. Is Wait Grenache ready to drink now? Yes. The 2023 vintage is ready to enjoy now and will continue to evolve through to 2034. What is whole bunch fermentation? For Wait 2023, 100% of the fruit was fermented as whole bunches. After a slow, cool ferment, it was pressed to large-format neutral French oak and matured on full lees. The approach contributes to the wine's structure and savoury character while allowing the site to remain at the forefront. Is Wait Grenache vegan? Yes. Wait 2023 is unfiltered, unfined and vegan. How much Wait 2023 was produced? Just 210 six-packs were produced, making this a genuinely limited release. What should I eat with Wait Grenache? The wine's structure and savoury character make it particularly well suited to rich dishes such as sausage and thyme ragu, as well as other hearty, slow-cooked dishes. Has Wait Grenache 2023 received critic reviews? Yes. The 2023 Wait received 96 points from Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, 95 points from Marcus Ellis for Halliday Wine Companion, 94 points from Huon Hooke for The Real Review and 94 points from Gary Walsh for The Wine Front. Buy Wait Single Site Grenache 2023 Three years in bottle. One extraordinary block. 210 six-packs. Wait 2023 has been waiting. Now it's ready to reveal itself. Select a 6-bottle pack or 12-bottle case and experience the Wait Single Site Grenache 2023. Psst... Like the sound of exclusive wines, Members pricing and early access? Wine Club members receive Members pricing plus perks like free shipping. Step right this way... The Aphelion Grenache Project Aphelion began with Grenache. Our focus is Grenache. Our future is Grenache. And our Single Site project takes that obsession one step further. We don't just want to tell you that a wine comes from McLaren Vale. We want to show you what happens when you get closer. Closer to Blewitt Springs. Closer to the Wait vineyard. Closer still to the Top Bush block. To old, dry-grown vines. To the growers who care for them. To the fruit. To the place. Because remarkable sites deserve to be known. And sometimes, the best way to understand a place is to pour it into a glass. Wait 2023 is ready. Take your time. Let it uncoil. See where it takes you. _______________________________________________________ Select between a 1 or more bottles in your own mix, a 6 bottle pack or 12 bottle case to Buy the Aphelion Wait Single Vineyard Grenache 2023. Psst...Like the sound of our exclusive pre-sale access, Members pricing ($81) plus perks like free shipping? Step right this way...